Method and system for providing dietary information

ABSTRACT

An apparatus, method and data structure for procuring, analyzing, and communicating dietary information, particularly information regarding the research, evaluation and selection of dietary products. The system provides a comprehensive combination of dietary information in a format that facilitates analysis, decision-making, and procurement of various dietary products based on factors, including an individual&#39;s medical nutritional needs, current medication(s), cooking skills, budgeted food expense, food preferences, food allergies, life stage, and lifestyle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates in general to an apparatus, method and datastructure for providing dietary information to assist in the research,evaluation, and selection of dietary products, including food, drink,and drugs, based on information provided by system users.

In the past, dietitians and nutritionists prepared personalized menusfor individuals. Planning nutritious and appealing menus is a dauntingand time-consuming task for a physician, nurse or even a masterdietitian. Moreover, individual counseling sessions or traditional groupsessions do not allow for menu planning time. Despite the obviousbenefits, it is currently cost prohibitive for many individuals andhouseholds to obtain menu guidance. Therefore, most individuals orfacilities in need of planned menus must plan them manually on their ownor with the use of the primitive software or websites that producetemplate or static menus.

Several patents and articles have been published in the dietary field.For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,169 (to Overbeck), U.S. Pat. No.5,673,691 (to Abrams et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,200 (toSlotznick); Balintfy, J. L., “Menu planning by computer,” Communicationsof the ACM, 7:255-259 (1964); and Petot, G. J., et al., An ArtificialIntelligence System for Computer-Assisted Menu Planning,” Journal of theAmerican Dietetic Association, 98:1009-1014 (1998), each of which isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety, relate to dietaryinformation generally. Each of these references has serious deficienciesand none provides the comprehensive research, data acquisition,analytical tools, data evaluation, and user interface/selection of thepresent invention.

The foregoing demonstrates that there is a need for an invention whichallows an individual to obtain dietary information based on a variety offactors, including an individual's medical nutritional needs, specificmedication(s) (which may have drug/nutrient interaction implications),cooking skills, food expense budget, food preferences (including, forexample, favorite recipes), food allergies, life stage, and lifestyle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention satisfies the need and avoids the drawbacks of the priorart by providing an apparatus, method and data structure that set forthan interactive venue for the procurement and analysis of a comprehensiveaggregate of information relating to, but not limited to, diet,nutrition, medications, cooking skills, food budget, food preferences,allergies, life stage, and lifestyle. Access to the system of theinvention greatly reduces the time and costs associated with the processof identifying specific foods, obtaining and compiling dietaryinformation, analyzing the information, providing dietary advice, andprocuring food for an individual, family or institution. As such, theinvention provides an easy and reliable tool that combines auser-friendly interface with powerful databases and professionalanalysis to identify menu options that meet the needs of the user.

The invention relates to a knowledge-based system for personalized menugeneration using various technologies for data manipulation toincorporate the information and expertise of professionals. In oneaspect, the system may generate menus for individuals, households orgroups and may search a database of recipes based on a set of inputsprovided by the user and generated by the system. In a preferred aspect,a grocery list will be generated that may be printed and employed fortraditional grocery shopping or may be utilized in conjunction withconnections to on-line vendors.

According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for and a methodof communicating dietary information between a user and a database areset forth. The apparatus and method may include the structure for andsteps of storing dietary information on a database, searching thedatabase for dietary information using specific criteria, andmanipulating the information to provide a set of information. The set ofinformation may be transmitted to the user or the user may be providedwith a location on the database containing the information. System usersmay provide an assessment of the received dietary information byentering information into an evaluation form which may be accessed byfuture users. The apparatus and method may include assigning passwordsto users to allow future use of the system.

In another aspect of the invention, a system for communicating dietaryinformation contains a computer-readable memory for storing data foraccess by an application program and includes a data structure stored inthe computer-readable memory. The data structure may include informationused by the application program and may contain a plurality of personaldata fields, anthropometrics fields, special metabolic needs fields,food preferences fields, health status fields, food allergies fields,life stage fields, dietary prescription fields, and cooking complexityfields. The application program may use the field values to provide amenu plan based on the manipulation of said plurality of fields byemploying a combination of databases. In various aspects, a plurality ofdatabases, such as a menu/recipe database, personal database,nutritional database and medication database, may be employed in varyingcombinations to compute a meal plan for a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a client-server-dietary database network for apreferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram for one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates one manner of integrating the information for thesystem.

FIG. 4 illustrates an overview page constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an interview screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a weekly menu screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a daily menu screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a restaurant menu screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a shopping screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an inventory screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an education screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates a lifestyles screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates a tracking screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates a computation screen constructed according to theprinciples of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a system 10 for communicating dietary information accordingto one aspect of the invention. The system 10 depicted in FIG. 1includes a server 12 having a memory 14, and a database 16 defined inthe memory 14. The server 12 may be an ALPHA server, a minicomputer, amicrocomputer, a UNIX machine, a mainframe computer, a personal computerwith an Intel Pentium processor, a Macintosh personal computer, or anyother suitable computer. The memory 14 is preferably non-volatile andincludes storage devices, such as CD-ROMs, hard disks, tape drives, etc.The server 12 has a central processing unit (CPU) 18, input devices suchas a keyboard and mouse (not shown), output devices such as a monitorand printer (not shown), random access memory (RAM) 20, read-only memory(ROM) 22, serial and parallel ports (not shown), and communicationhardware 24. There may also be additional memory (not shown) remote fromthe server 12 and connected to the server 12 via one of theaforementioned serial or parallel ports. The communication hardware 24may connect the server 12 to the Internet. In a preferred embodiment,the server 12 is a World Wide Web server connected to the Internet.Preferably, the server 12 has an operating system that is capable ofmultiple users and multi-tasking, such as UNIX, Windows NT, or LINUX.FIG. 1 also demonstrates the inclusion of one or more client machines 26and one or more external databases 30 which communicate with the server12. FIG. 1 does not disclose the specific interconnections between andamong the various components in the server 12 as this information iswell known. Client machine 26 may be an ALPHA server, a minicomputer, amicrocomputer, a UNIX machine, a mainframe computer, a personal computerwith an Intel Pentium processor, a Macintosh personal computer, alaptop, a personal data assistant (PDA), a pen computer, a kiosk or anyother suitable computer.

The client machines 26 may be connected to the server 12 bycommunication links 28, and the external databases 30 may be connectedto the server 12 by communication links 29. The communication links 28,29 between the server 12 and the client machines 26 and between theserver 12 and the external databases 30, respectively, may include alarge variety of connections, including a telephone link, a hard-wiredconnection, a satellite link or other wireless connection, an Internetconnection, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), anycombination of the preceding, or any other suitable type of connection.Multiple client machines 26 may communicate simultaneously with theserver 12, and each connection may be by a different type of link, e.g.,one connection may be by telephone while another may be by the Internet.Similarly, multiple external databases 30 may communicate simultaneouslywith the server 12, and each connection may be a different type of linkas discussed above. As stated above, the server 12 connects tocommunication links 28, 29 via communication hardware 24.

The server 12 may communicate, via communication link 29, with aparticular database 30 by a variety of communication protocols,including file transfer protocol (FTP), electronic mail (e-mail),transfer control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), ASCII, X-MODEM,Y-MODEM, KERMIT, any combination of the preceding protocols, or anyother suitable type of protocol. The server 12 may gather informationfrom a database 30 automatically, e.g., at regularly scheduledintervals, only in response to data requested from a client machine 26,or both automatically and in response to a request from a client machine26. Depending on the nature of the information provided by a particulardatabase 30, the connection between the server 12 and the particulardatabase 30 may be “live” at all times or may be establishedintermittently.

After a link is established between the server 12 and a client machine26, communication may take place via a variety of communicationprotocols, as described above with respect to communication between theserver 12 and database 30. The software running on a client machine 26that accesses information on the server 12 may be a known Internetbrowser such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer or may be anyother type of software suitable for transmitting information to andreceiving information from the server 12.

In one embodiment, the server 12 is an ALPHA server. With this platform,CPUs, memory, networking capabilities, storage, and software may bemodified as appropriate to meet specific requirements. The selection ofa suitable server requires consideration of CPU speed as well as disksubsystem performance and network bandwidth. For example, a disk with a7200 RPM rotational speed may be a suitable disk subsystem. Once theRAID is selected (RAID 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5), the size of the databaseand its projected growth must be analyzed as part of the known designconsiderations.

The database 16 on the server 12 may be of any suitable type that may beused for large database applications. Oracle is an extremely powerfuland flexible relational database system. Procedural Language/StandardQuery Language (PL/SQL) is a sophisticated programming language used toaccess the Oracle database from various environments. Another preferreddatabase that may be employed is Oracle8i. The Oracle8i database isuseful for Internet applications and manages the content, data and filestypically managed by an operating system. Oracle8i has a Java VirtualMachine, a native Java compiler, and Internet File System (iFS), whichprovides the ability to store, query, and manage a wide range ofrelational and non-relational data within the database. iFS, written inJava, allows users to store 164 data types, including spreadsheets, wordprocessing documents, Web pages and e-mail, within the database andretrieve them either in native file format or in HyperText MarkupLanguage (HTML) through a browser. iFS indexes each file automaticallyand gives users enhanced security, database search capabilities, backupand recovery. Other features in Oracle8i include WebDB, a environmentrun through a browser that enables developers to dynamically generateWeb content and pages; SQLJ, a programming syntax that embeds SQLdatabase statements into client or server Java code; and interMedia, asystem for managing rich data types used over the Web. Of course, otherdatabase systems may be utilized according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, a user uses a client machine 26 to connect tothe server 12 via a communication link 28. The user may then log ontothe database 16. Optionally, a password may be required of the user. Ifa password is required and the user has not used the system previously,the user is given a password by the server 12 or is prompted by thesystem 10 to obtain a password from an administrator of the server 12.Next, the user must enter the previously obtained password. Additionalsteps for repeating a password request if the user enters incorrect dataor for permitting the user to create a unique password are known. A userwho has used the system previously has the option of editing or deletinginformation previously entered into the user's record.

After logging onto the server 12, a user may enter pertinent informationinto the database 16 concerning the type or types of informationdesired. As discussed below, a wide variety of data may be entered intodatabase 16. The server 12 may be connected to one or more databases 16,30. Once the information from one or more databases 16, 30 is enteredinto the database 16, a search may be performed using server 12 toidentify information requested by a user. The server 12 may then formatthe requested information appropriately. Once the information isformatted, it may then be transmitted to a user at a client machine 26.

A flow diagram showing one aspect of the invention is depicted in FIG.2. Both data flow lines and process flow lines are shown whichillustrate a manner in which a system user may navigate through system10, according to one preferred embodiment. In FIG. 3, the relationshipsbetween various databases, Nutritional Database 51, Personal Database52, Menu/Recipe Database 53, and Medication Database 54, are graphicallydepicted in relation to the computations module 55 of the invention andare further described below.

Navigation through the system 10 may be easily accomplished via aWeb-style environment of point-and-click that directly links a user todesired sections. It is understood that selecting, pointing, clicking,choosing, and the like refer to the use of a mouse and mouse pointer, astylus, a keyboard or any other device for selecting according to theprinciples of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, an overview page100 is displayed on a client machine 26 after a user has logged onto thesystem 10. FIG. 4 illustrates overview page 100, which may include aplurality of options. For example, interview field 102, today's menufield 104, this week's menu field 106, recipes field 108, restaurantsfield 110, inventory field 112, shopping field 114, education field 116,community field 118, lifestyles field 120, about e3squares field 122,tracking field 140, and computations field 142 are shown in FIG. 4.Display field 124, benefits offered field 126, site layout/tour field128, and membership benefits field 130 are also depicted. A user mayalso select consult a dietician field 132, consult a physician field133, a newsletter field 134, privacy statement field 136, and variousother sources of dietary information and the like field 138. Selectionof field 132 or 133 permits a user to communicate with a nutritionist orphysician about a specific case or question. The invention may recordsuch communications so that case-based reasoning technologies may beutilized to assist other users having similar future cases. Moreinformation about the system 10 may be obtained by selecting help field150. These fields, when selected, connect a user directly to the sectionrelating to the selected field. Of course, a greater or lesser number offields may be included according to the principles of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, fields 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114,116, 118, 120, 140, 142 and 150 are present in every view to permitefficient navigation throughout the system 10. The fields may beprovided in a convenient drop-down menu or toolbar. Of course, windowcontents and toolbar options may be modified by the user.

Selection of interview field 102 permits a user to engage a listing ofpersonal data, anthropometrics, special metabolic needs, foodpreferences, health status, food allergies, life stage, dietaryprescription, cooking complexity, meal plan override, and professionalreferral questions as is illustrated in interview screen 200 in FIG. 5.Selection of personal data field 201 may result in general inquiriesregarding name, address, e-mail address, phone, and gender, and specificquestions regarding lifestyle such as, smoking, alcohol consumption, useof drugs (prescription and non-prescription), and stress level. A user'sselection of anthropometrics field 202 requests the user to enterpersonal information relating to height, weight, age, gender, bodycomposition, exercise level and life stage. For example, a menu for anelderly person may be created to account for specific nutritional needsand should consider whether a user is homebound. Selection of specialmetabolic needs field 203 may include questions regarding infections,recent trauma/surgery, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy/lactation, cancer therapy,pulmonary disease, liver disease, malnutrition, activity/exercisefactors. Food preferences field 204 selection results in inquiriesrelating to specific foods, favorite cuisines, favorite flavors, andsweet, salty, savory, crunchy and smooth food options. Health statusfield 205 selection may provide questions regarding a plurality ofconditions, including diabetes, heart disease, elevated blood pressure,elevated cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, kidney stones, irritableor spastic colon, gall stones, diarrhea, constipation or diverticulosis,kidney or liver failure, lactose intolerance, obesity or beingoverweight, and hiatal hernia or gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Auser's selection of food allergies field 206 may request informationabout a user's reaction to a variety of foods, such as dairy products,wheat/gluten/corn, citrus, tomato and tomato products, soy foods, nuts,fish, shellfish, eggs, beef, lamb, poultry, and pork. Selection of lifestage field 207 may provide a series of inquiries to define a user intoone or more of the following categories: high school student, collegestudent, starting a family, newly divorced or widowed, empty nest,retired, single, married. A user may also input major life stresses, ifany, in life stage field 207. A user may also specify his or herphysical or sports activity level in life stage field 207. Dietaryprescription field 208 may include inquiries regarding calorie specificrestrictions, diabetes, elimination of concentrated sweets or low sugardiets, low fat, low cholesterol, low fiber, high fiber, high calorie,high protein, low protein, no added salt (e.g., 3-5 gm sodium), lowsodium (i.e., 2 gm sodium), low purine, low oxalate, low tyramine, andthe like. System 10 may provide useful nutritional information from itsNutritional Database 51 regardless of the “nutritional education” levelof a user. Additionally, field 208 may inquire regarding user goals,such as a desire to gain or lose weight. Selection of cooking complexityfield 209 may allow a user to select from several cooking levels such asgourmet level of food preparation, basic cooking or master of themicrowave, beginner, teenager, and the like. A user's selection of mealplan override field 210 may permit a dietary override feature to allowfor prescribed, individualized meal patterns. Request professionalreferral field 211 may permit a user to search for and select aprofessional for assistance. The information provided by a user, as wellas the other information generated by the system 10 relating to aparticular user, may be stored in a unique Personal Database 52 andmaintained in database 16 and protected by a user's password. Thestorage of the personal data creates a personal history in PersonalDatabase 52 and permits a user to track progress, as is discussed below.

Selection of this week's menu field 106 permits a user to be presentedwith a list of meals for a seven-day period according to the principlesof the invention as illustrated in FIG. 6. Weekly menu screen 300 mayinclude inquiries regarding the number of people considered for menuplanning. In a preferred embodiment, weekly menu screen 300 willautomatically list household members, for example, as derived from theinterview module of the database in members field 301. A user then mayinclude or exclude particular members based on their presence or needfor menu planning for the week or any portion of the week thereof. In apreferred embodiment, a guest or guests may be added so that the needfor additional menu planning is considered. In a further embodiment, auser has the option to be linked immediately or otherwise to theinterview screen 200 in order to input guest information, such asspecial metabolic needs, health status, and food preferences andallegories, that should be considered in customizing the menu plan.

Weekly menu screen 300 may also include a display field 302 thatdisplays all meals for the week based upon the user's responses to theinterview questions, coded for personal food and health data asdescribed above, and a Nutritional Database 51 that may be created byprofessionals and maintained on the system 10. In a preferredembodiment, the Nutritional Database 51 is coded for nutrient contentand appropriate and complementary meal components.

In a preferred embodiment, a gauges field 303 may be included thatprovides information and alerts according the generated menu. Forexample, gauges field 303 may include calorie, cholesterol, sugar orother nutritional information to indicate that a user or users aremeeting or exceeding limits established by interview responses or anindividualized menu plan based on the interaction between theMenu/Recipe Database 53, Nutritional Database 51, and the PersonalDatabase 52. Additionally, through the use of a Medication Database 54,that may be created by professionals and maintained on the system 10,gauges field 303 may indicate potential or actual drug/foodcontraindications so that a user may be alerted to negative interactionsprior to adoption of a particular menu plan. In another preferredembodiment, the information utilized from the Medication Database 54 maybe incorporated with the Nutritional, Personal and Menu/Recipe Databases51, 52, 53, respectively, so that the displayed menu plan takes alldatabases into account automatically.

Selection of today's menu field 104 permits a user to be presented witha list of meals for a one-day period according to the principles of theinvention as illustrated in FIG. 7. Daily menu screen 400 is similar toweekly menu screen 300 and may include inquiries regarding the number ofpeople considered for menu planning. In a preferred embodiment, dailymenu screen 400 will automatically list household members and permit auser to include or exclude particular members based on personalschedules in members field 401. In another preferred embodiment, a guestor guests may be added so that the need for additional menu planning isconsidered. In a further embodiment, a user has the option to be linkedto the interview screen 200 in order to input guest information, such asspecial metabolic needs, health status, and food preferences andallergies, that should be considered in customizing the menu plan. Dailymenu screen 400 may also include a display field 402 that displays allmeals for the day based upon the members responses to the interviewquestions and the Nutritional Database 51. In a preferred embodiment, agauges field 403 may be included that provides information and alertsaccording the generated menu as described above.

In a preferred embodiment, a user may select from a number ofevent-based meals. For examples, selection may be made from a variety ofchoices for events such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day,4^(th) of July, St. Patrick's Day, daughter's birthday party, son'sgraduation party, business meetings, and the like. The databases mayalso maintain records of these event-based meals so that a user mayrecall and duplicate acceptable meals, avoid redundant meals with thesame guests, and eliminate unsuccessful meals. Additionally, thedatabases may keep a record of a user's meals over time so that mealrecommendations take into consideration recent meals to preventredundancy.

In another preferred embodiment, a user may select budget fields 305 or405 on screens 300 or 400 to enter a daily, weekly, monthly, orevent-based budget. This allows a user to utilize system 10 and grocerpricing to work backwards to create a menu plan having needed items thatare within a given budget. In this manner, nutritionally and medicallyapproved foods are provided that meet a user's budgetary constraints aswell.

Selection of restaurants field 110 permits a user to be presented with alist of meals available at various restaurants according to theprinciples of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Restaurant menuscreen 500 is similar to weekly menu screen 300 and may includeinquiries regarding the household members and guests in members field501. Options may be given to replace a meal or recipe previouslyassociated with a particular user. A comprehensive listing ofrestaurants, including national and regional chains, may be included onrestaurant menu screen 500 that permits a user, in conjunction with thenutritional, medication, and personal databases of the system 10, toreceive a menu plan in display field 502. Display field 502 may includea two-panel display where one side shows the meal or recipe and theother side indicates a plurality of alternatives or replacements. Gaugesfield 503 may provide information regarding contraindications asdiscussed above. In a preferred embodiment, the restaurant suggestionsdisplayed in display field 502 may be made in light of the informationstored in the Nutritional, Personal, and Medication Databases 51, 52,54, respectively, in the same manner as the system 10 considers thesedatabases for non-restaurant-menu generation, which allows users andhousehold members to maintain their planned diets in every venue. Ofcourse, restaurant suggestions may be stored off-line for as manyrestaurants and household members as desired by the user.

Selection of shopping field 114 may permit a user to be presented with alist of fields in preparation to obtain the items identified by thedaily or weekly menu display according to the principles of theinvention as illustrated in FIG. 9. Shopping screen 600 includes selectstore(s) field 601, today's list field 602, entire list field 603, editlist field 604, kitchen items field 605, online grocer field 606,generate list field 607, online special field 608 and display field 612.Display field 612 displays information as directed by the selection offields 601-608. For example, display field 612 may display a list ofgrocery stores when select store(s) field 601 is selected. Today's andentire list fields 602, 603 may provide the menu created and displayedin display fields 302, 402, as discussed above. A user may then sort theitems by store, aisle, alphabetical order, or any other desirablesorting criteria. Fields 602, 603 may be modified by employing edit listfield 604 and non-food items may be added to the list by utilizing thekitchen items field 605. Shopping screen 600 may include an onlinegrocer field 606 or may contain links to a variety of online grocers toallow immediate order submission of the items generated by the system10. The online special field 608 may be selected to identify theseasonal or weekly special promotions available online as marketed byboth online and traditional grocers for purchase online or in-store.These “special promotion” items may be selected or may be added to theitems in display field 612. The contents of display field 612 may bestored in the database 16 for later retrieval or historicalmanipulation.

Selection of inventory field 112 allows a user to facilitate thegeneration of a shopping list by employing inventory screen 700according to the principles of the invention. As shown in FIG. 10, foodinventory field 701, kitchen inventory field 702, and build shoppinglist field 703 may be provided to create a shopping list. In a preferredembodiment, the list of items generated by interaction with shoppingscreen 600 are compared with the information residing in the inventorydatabase so that a list of needed items may be generated. Online grocerfield 704 may be selected after the needed items have been identified.In one preferred embodiment, the inventory database not only storesitems in categories, but it may also store reorder points for each item.Additionally, vendor preferences may be stored to support automaticshopping item placement on a pre-selected store list. For example, inanother preferred embodiment, the system 10 may send a message to auser's cell phone or PDA as a reminder of specific needed items thatwere generated for the week or for a specific day of the week by system10 so that the user may be prompted to acquire the needed items.

In one preferred embodiment, a user may select competitive bids field609 or 705 and by following the prompts the user may enter the neededitems for transmittal to a preselected pool of grocers. Each selectedgrocer has the opportunity to respond, such as via system 10 or viaemail, by providing a price and/or other terms for each of the neededitems. In this manner, grocers can compete for a user's order. If thegrocers are equipped for online and delivery orders, then a user mayselect the grocer of choice and have the needed items deliveredautomatically.

Selection of education field 116 may permit a user to be presented withan education screen 800 including information regarding nutritioneducation, health/wellness education, cooking skills, online kitchencraft, demonstrations of equipment usage, using portions, eating as afamily, feedback from choices made, and personalized coaching as shownin FIG. 11. By selecting any of these options, a user can obtain avariety of important information through databases 16, 30, links torelevant sources of information, and links to purchasing links, such asspecialty foods, kitchen equipment, recipe books, and food publications.For example, personalized coaching provides specific feedback, such as,“You've indicated that you're breast-feeding—Did you know that you nowneed more calories that during pregnancy?”

Selection of lifestyles field 120 allows a user to view lifestylesscreen 900 listing selectable options relating to newsletters field 901,chat room field 902, culinary travel field 903, food camps field 904,spas field 905, cooking schools field 906, and personal chef referralsfield 907, as shown in FIG. 12. In one embodiment, lifestyles screen 900facilitates the vacation planning of a user seeking to plan a diet-and/or health-related trip.

Selection of about e3squares field 122 provides a user with allpertinent information about system 10.

Selection of tracking field 140 permits a user to track personalinformation relating to both measured data, such as weight, cholesterol,blood pressure, and menu-based data, such as protein intake, calorieintake, and the like. In fact, a user may enter and track data of anynature by selecting enter data field 1001 and following the prompts forsetting up a tracking option as is illustrated by tracking screen 1000.For example, FIG. 13 depicts weight tracking field 1002, cholesteroltracking field 1003, and calorie intake field 1004. Tracking informationmay be displayed or stored on client machine 26. Comparisons betweenmenu-based and measured data may be made to evaluate a user's status andprogress.

Selection of computations field 142 may allow a user to perform a numberof calculations. As shown in FIG. 14 in connection with computationscreen 1100, calories per individual per day field 1102, and grams ofprotein per individual per day field 1103 are identified. Additionalcomputational fields may be created by selecting enter computationalfield 1101 and following the prompts for setting up a computationaloption.

Regarding the depicted templates, forms and reports of the invention, itis understood that a fewer or greater number of fields may be employedby adding or subtracting choices or by consolidating or expandingchoices as desired. Additionally, it is further understood that certainof the fields may substitute menu selections or a lookup table for textentry fields or vice versa, according to the design criteria of theapplication. Save, reset, forward, and back buttons may be used incombination with one or more of the templates, forms, and reports. Afeedback submission field may be preferably provided so that users mayconvey assessment information relating to menu planning and the system10 itself to the controller of the system 10, so that the system 10 maybe continually improved.

In a preferred embodiment, the information displayed on the screens ofthe invention may be printed or stored off-line in a client machine 26,such as a personal computer, laptop, PDA or pen computer for retrievalat a later time. In one preferred embodiment, client machines 26 willinclude special computer terminals having bar code readers for enteringpurchased goods into system 10 to permit a user to create a record ofpurchases. Additionally, client machines 26, such as kiosks, may belocated in grocery stores to permit “near” point-of-sale access to thedietary information in the system 10 and may also provide generic menusfree of charge to users that have not provided interview responses.

Menu/Recipe Database 53 is scalable and may store individual andhousehold menus for local, regional and international recipes.Additionally, the Menu/Recipe Database 53 may store food qualities suchas color, texture, flavor, nutritional attributes, appropriateness forspecific diets, cultural preferences, life stages, and scalability. Auser may add favorite recipes to the Menu/Recipe Database 53 forselection at a later time. Additionally, a user may add, subtract ormodify the amounts or ingredients in any of the recipes to accommodatethe personal needs of the user. The Menu/Recipe Database 53 may considerthe seasonal and regional variations in ingredients and recipes so thatthe menus generated by system 10 closely conform to the user's needs.The response to the cooking complexity field 209 may instruct theMenu/Recipe Database 53 to factor the cooking expertise level into menuplanning. Meal patterns received from the personal database, e.g., auser or member eats cereal for breakfast everyday, may be considered bythe Menu/Recipe Database 53. The Menu/Recipe Database 53 may makerecommendations regarding vitamins, herbs and diet supplements. TheMenu/Recipe Database 53 may consider individual plans from the personaldatabase, e.g., organic, vegetarian, vegan, kosher. A feedback loop mayalso be provided that gives helpful hints while meal planning.

System 10 employs a variety of technologies that are integratedaccording to the principles of the invention. These technologies mayinclude expert systems, case-based reasoning, rule-based reasoning,search engines, financial transaction capabilities, databases,networking web or servers, and data-mining systems. These technologiesare employed to incorporate the knowledge and expertise of a physician,nutritionist, food preparer, and user by electronically programminginformation to produce explicit knowledge to be handled by intelligentsoftware. Thus, the knowledge system of the invention providescomprehensive dietary information and facilitates the procurement offood, drink, and supplements, and provides a shopping cart to carryneeded items to vendors. The system 10 makes the knowledge and expertiseof a nutritionist available to a user by assessing a user's personalmedical file and interview summary to provide a recommendation for theultimate menu for health and lifestyle. For example, case-based problemsolving may be used by system 10 to apply a prior solution to generatethe solution to a new problem. System 10 has the capability to storeusers' cases and solutions to facilitate the resolution of similarfuture cases.

EXAMPLE

A host, designated A, is planning a meal for a plurality of guests,designated B-G, with the following criteria: B and C do not eat meat orpoultry; C is allergic to milk products; D, E, and F are“meat-and-potatoes” people; and A's friend, G. Since it is tomatoseason, A wants to use tomatoes as a major ingredient in the meal. As Ais planning the meal, he remembers:

-   -   I once served tomato tart (made from mozzarella cheese,        tomatoes, dijon mustard, basil, and pepper, all in a pie crust)        as the main dish during the summer when I had vegetarians as        guests for dinner. [Event-based system memory.] It was delicious        and easy to make. But I can't serve that to C (the one allergic        to milk). [Guest interview summary memory.] I have adapted        recipes for C before by substituting tofu products for cheese.        [Menu/Recipe substitutional memory.] I could do that, but I        don't know how good the tomato tart will taste with tofu.

A decides not to serve tomato tart and continues planning. Since it issummer, he decides that grilled fish would be a good main course.[Menu/Recipe seasonal memory.] But then remembers:

“Last time I tried to serve G grilled fish, she wouldn't eat it. I hadto put hot dogs on the grill at the last minute.” [Time constraintmemory.] This suggests to A that he should not serve fish, but he wantsto anyway. He considers whether there is a way to serve fish that G willeat.

A remembers seeing G eat mahi-mahi in a restaurant. He recalls that thefish he previously served G was whole trout with the head on. The fishin the restaurant was a fillet and more like steak than fish. [Guestinterview summary memory and Menu/Recipe substitutional memory.] Adetermines that he should serve a fish that is more like meat than fishand concludes that swordfish is acceptable. [The success/failure of themeal may be recorded and cross-referenced to each of the participantsA-G.]

This example, or case, illustrates a typical real-life problem thatknowledge, decision, and remembered cases can suggest a means of solvinga new problem (e.g., suggestion of a main dish), to suggest how to adaptan appropriate solution. As the bracketed items emphasize, the solutionrequires reliance on a variety of data. System 10 simultaneouslyprovides this information to thousands of users where each user entersdifferent limiting criteria.

The previous case illustrates a manner in which a system, according tothe principles of the invention, may be utilized.

First, there are at least two uses for this case: (1) it provides acondition for success when choosing a vegetarian main dish withtomatoes: choose tomato tart to feed vegetarians in the summer, and (2)it provides a condition for success when trying to accommodate a personwho is allergic to milk when a main dish with cheese is being served.Thus, when trying to adapt a dish with cheese in it for someone who eatsno milk products, use tofu as a cheese substitute.

Second, the case provides input to determine under what circumstancesthis case would be useful for constructing a solution: (1) when the goalis to choose a main dish, the dish is to be vegetarian, the dish is toinclude tomatoes, and the time is summer; and (2) when main dish hascheese as an ingredient, one or a few guests are allergic to milkproducts, and the goal is to accommodate those guests.

Third, descriptions of the case are translated into the vocabulary ofthe user, making them recognizable to the user. System 10 considers howdata are structured and sets weighted values for each type of decision.System 10 also addresses the choice of structuring various data records.In the above case, there is a simple set of fields for representation ofpossible types of data: guest, host, cuisine, ingredients, preparationmethod, dishes (subdivided into salad, main dish, sides, beverage,dessert, and dessert-beverage), reasoning goal, constraints, season,results, and the like. Some of these fields have further substructure.For example, each dish may have several optional descriptors: cuisine,taste, texture, ingredients, preparation method, constraints. In apreferred embodiment, the system of the invention retains all possiblecases and retrieves information and makes recommendations according to aunique user's inputs and constraints.

According to the invention, menus may be grouped and classified touser-defined groups and classes. Menus may be set up for multipleserving lines and months. Standard menus may be established and stored,individually or in cycles and assigned to later periods of times asneeded by a particular user. Both menu calendars and menu lists may becreated and printed. In one embodiment, the system databases arepreloaded with all USDA items, brands and “team nutrition” recipes. Inanother embodiment, system 10 is connected to government databases thatprovide a variety of useful information employed by the invention, suchas nutritional information, standards for breakfast and lunch forchildren, and the like.

System 10 may also compute nutrient composition for menus associatedwith an age group or range of grade levels for comparison to the USDAinformation and weighted nutritional analysis for a one- to seven-daymenu cycle. System 10 may print cost analysis for a range of menu days,production recipes automatically scaled, pre-preparation summaries,recipe ingredient labels, and menus printed in a variety of formats.

1. A method of communicating dietary information between a user and adatabase comprising: storing dietary information on a database;searching the database to identify specific dietary information meetinguser criteria; manipulating the information to provide a table ofinformation; and transmitting specific dietary information from saidtable of information accessible to the user from the database.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein transmitting specific dietary informationfurther comprises transmitting evaluations of the dietary information.3. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating the information furthercomprises evaluating the interaction between the dietary information andmedication information.
 4. An apparatus communicating dietaryinformation between a user and a database comprising: a data network; aplurality of databases operably connected to said data network; and acomputer operably connected to said plurality of databases via said datanetwork, said computer having a storage area, wherein said computersearches said plurality of databases to identify information relating toa plurality of factors as specified by a user of said computer, saiddatabases transmit said identified information to said storage area ofsaid computer via said data network, and said computer manipulates saidtransmitted information to provide a summary of appropriate dietaryinformation.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said server computertransmits a location in said storage area containing said dietaryinformation to said user computer.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4 whereinsaid storage area comprises a personal data question template.
 7. In asystem for communicating dietary information between a user and adatabase, a computer-readable memory for storing data for access by anapplication program comprising: a data structure stored in saidcomputer-readable memory, said data structure including information usedby said application program and including: a plurality of personal datafields; a plurality of anthropometrics fields; a plurality of specialmetabolic needs fields; a plurality of food preferences fields; aplurality of health status fields; a plurality of food allergies fields;a plurality of life stage fields; a plurality of dietary prescriptionfields; a plurality of cooking complexity fields; wherein said fieldshave values and said application program determines a menu plan based onthe manipulation of said plurality of fields by employing a nutritionaland medication databases.
 8. The data structure of saidcomputer-readable memory of claim 7 further comprising a plurality ofpersonal data question fields.
 9. The data structure of saidcomputer-readable memory of claim 7 further comprising a plurality ofevaluation fields to permit evaluation of said application program. 10.The data structure of said computer-readable memory of claim 7 furthercomprising an address field for sending the user an address location ofsaid dietary information fields.